Bojan Radulovic scored HJK’s equalizer. Juha Tamminen
In Helsinki, big points were awarded in the Veikkausliiga championship battle, when league leader KuPS arrived as a guest of league runner-up HJK. As in Kuopio at the end of May, the top match on Saturday also ended in a division of points.
The yellow shirts silenced the Tölö crowd already in the sixth minute. The club’s defense was a mess when Janis Ikaunieks lifted from the feel of the center line into the high ball box. Gabriel Bispo was allowed to take control and shoot the ball past Conor Hazard’s.
In the second period, the hosts took control of the game. An hour after the game Taneli Hämäläinen overturned the HJK pier by David Browne in the box. Bojan Radulovic scored an important equalizer from the spot. The goal was the Serbian’s fourth of the season.
At the end, the blue-and-whites packed the field with a lot of attacking power, but the pressure did not lead to top-class goals. KuPS showed solidity at the back end, befitting the value of the league leader.
Question marks
HJK’s head coach Toni Koskelan dark clouds have piled up in midsummer. The betting league season is halfway through, and HJK’s game is not at its best.
The team’s last win was in May – of course, the Cup penalty shootout win against VPS, which was recorded as a draw, can fit in between.
In the league, the difference with KuPS is now 3 points, and the Kuopio team has played less matches.
Next up are the European games that define the Club’s season. HJK opens the Champions League qualifiers on Wednesday with a home match against Riga FC.
From that pair of matches, anything other than a place in the second qualifying round would be a huge disappointment for HJK.
KuPS opens its Conference League qualifying match on Thursday against Georgia’s FC DiLa Gori in Kuopio.
In Saturday’s other matches, Honka, third in the series, drew 1-1 at home against IFK Mariehamn.
AC Oulu celebrated its 20th anniversary with a home match against VPS, but the celebration turned out to be an embarrassing show. The visiting team forged the knock-out tennis numbers on the board and won no less than 6–0.